The Tally
by Trickster-jz
Summary: PostNJO, Zekk faces some unpleasant truths. JZ


**The Tally**

**By Trickster-jz**

**-**

**Disclaimer**: George Lucas owns everything; I own the opposite amount. Please don't sue.

**Summary**: Zekk finds unpleasant truth.

**Characters**: Zekk, Jaina Solo

**Genre(s)**: General, a little angst

**Keywords**: Independence, snipers

**Author's Note**: It's a little different from what I normally do…a bit more subtle, and certainly shorter, but who am I to argue with the muse? The author gets no respect… :p

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It had been a long day, a day when the Jedi were brought before the Senate and presented with medals. The number of speeches had been atrocious, and every one of them mind-numbing, until Zekk had nearly nodded off right on the platform. A nearby friend, doing little better than Zekk himself, had just caught the dark-haired Jedi Knight before consciousness had left him entirely.

A very long day.

Now, he just wanted to grab some dinner and a few hours of sleep before he set off on another mission. Reunions with old friends would have to wait for the refugees – whichever planet they were from this time. After so long at war, it was getting harder to keep track of who he was helping. Besides, remembering everyone, and all their many losses, was wearing on him. He had hoped that memories of Ennth would provide him with some defence against the horror, but if it had, it hadn't been enough.

All the missions blurred together: fighting for each step into progress, trying to numb himself to the clutching, frantic fingers of those in need of help. In desperation, the Jedi had become heroes, of sorts, again; everyone wanted—needed—to believe that the Jedi could fix anything. That there was nothing the Jedi Knights could not fight.

Sardonically, he thought of the people who thought of Jedi as warriors – even Master Skywalker had made that mistake once, Zekk had heard, with Master Yoda. Zekk had seen the deadliness of many, many Jedi in war, true, but if war had proven nothing else, it was that he could go a long time without another such period of his life.

_Jedi Warriors? I don't know any Jedi who would enjoy or believe that title—well, except maybe Kyp Durron._

His thoughts were travelling a path well trodden in helplessness, but—catching sight of a familiar head of brown hair ahead of him—Zekk smiled. A half-second later, Jaina's laugh spread even over the throng, and Zekk's grin widened. Maybe one reunion didn't have to be put off, after all. If he could just catch up with her in this crowd…

Showing his ID to the guards at the Senate exit, Zekk tried to make his way past the immediate throng by the gates. Jaina cut her path down a street, and the crowd thinned almost immediately, but Zekk still had to push past beings of all races and species. Jaina, however, was using her smallness to her advantage, and was getting out of the hubabaloo a lot quicker than her friend.

Frowning his frustration, Zekk quickened his pace, calling, "Jaina!"

Her pace hitched, and she looked over her shoulder, as if she wasn't sure if she had heard him call out or not. Just as he was about to repeat himself, her gaze flew about her, searching for something. Seeing her grab her lightsaber, Zekk's eyes widened and he tried to speed up—an action that only made people push back at him harder, slowing his progress.

His adrenaline shot up as he saw Jaina's posture tighten subtly—a sure sign to those who knew her that she was preparing for a fight. Had she felt something through the Force? He checked with the life source himself, but other than a few, vague spikes, nothing was out of the ordinary—and nothing pulled at him to hurry.

But he continued on anyway, ignoring his questions for the moment. Just as he slipped past a particularly burly Bothan, Zekk was startled to hear a heavy rain of blaster fire sound in the alley. Almost as one, the crowd that surrounded Zekk turned and tried to push their way back to the main street. Apparently, they didn't want anything to do with a fight, even if it involved a Jedi they had just honoured in the ceremony before. Furious now, both at the public's indifference and the fact that they carried him backwards as they tried to escape, Zekk came very close to fighting his way back; only knowing that it wouldn't help the hysteria stopped him.

Over the yelling, Zekk detected the faint, powerful humming and crackling of a lightsaber, then two distinct cries—one at a time, and hopefully the would-be assassins. A few moments later, Zekk pushed his way free of the throng, but Jaina was turned away, and she didn't see him. One of the snipers had fallen to the ground, and she checked his pulse, ascertaining he was dead. Looking up to the other window from which fire had come, Zekk thought he saw her eyes narrow in thought.

His feet stayed where they were as Jaina flipped her hair impatiently, and shrugged.

Then she walked away, continuing down the street and 'round the corner, to all the galaxy appearing indifferent about what had just happened.

Zekk stood, alone now that the crowd had squeezed out of the streets, where he had been when he called out previously. She hadn't seen him, but that wasn't what bothered him.

How long had it been their joke? Who owed who for this rescue or that – they had always worked that way, especially since Zekk himself had become a Jedi. They were a team; if one tripped, and was caught, the other rescued them. Zekk had rescued her from the Diversity Alliance, bounty hunters, and the Second Imperium, even when he had been a part of it. In return, she'd saved him from the Dark side, from blaster fire, and so much else. They had always depended on each other.

As their joke, part of their banter, they had always compared the numbers of rescues, teasing whoever was behind in the tally.

Jaina hadn't needed him, or his rescue, this time.

Zekk's eyes fell on the dead sniper; his friend had been entirely in control of this situation, as he hoped he would have been, if in her position.

So.

He sighed and turned back, away from Jaina's direction, back to the main street.

Independent.

The tally was full.

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Aww….poor Zekk :( Well, at least I give him the girl in "Always". Please R&R!

-Tjz


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